


In Which Cimorene and Mendanbar Spend Time Together While Daystar Plays

by ReleasingmyInsanity



Category: Enchanted Forest Chronicles - Patricia Wrede
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cute Kids, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Married Couple, parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:46:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29015328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReleasingmyInsanity/pseuds/ReleasingmyInsanity
Summary: In alternate universe where Calling on Dragons ends differently, Cimorene and Mendanbar raise Daystar together in the castle. This is a slice of life from that timeline
Relationships: Cimorene/Mendanbar
Comments: 8
Kudos: 11
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 6





	In Which Cimorene and Mendanbar Spend Time Together While Daystar Plays

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eccentric_Hat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eccentric_Hat/gifts).



The King of the Enchanted Forest sat on a bench in front of his castle and watched his young son play on the grass. Much of the Enchanted Forest would be dangerous for a child to play in, even for its prince. The forest tended to protect the royal family’s safety in general, but there was still a lot of trouble a toddler could get into.

Fortunately the castle grounds were safe and even the forest seemed to dote on Prince Daystar. Mendanbar had to admit that his son was pretty cute as he toddled around. Once he had learned to walk, there was no stopping him. He walked everywhere.

According to the staff who watched him while Mendanbar and Cimorene attended to royal duties, even a trip to the top of the North Northwest Tower would probably not daunt him if he wanted to go there. Daystar seemed to especially enjoy the staircases that lead nowhere and the long hallways that traversed the castle.

Mendanbar looked up at the sound of footsteps and smiled to see his wife crossing the courtyard to sit with him. Cimorene joined Mendanbar on the bench with a tired sigh. Removing her crown and rubbing her head, she leaned heavily against his shoulder. “I am so glad to be done with royal duties for today.”

Mendanbar laughed. “Why is it that I’m technically the ruler and you’re always the one who’s more worn out at the end of the day?”

“I guess I see more irritating people than you do.” Cimorene said after a moment. “The most irritating people do seem to be the ones who think that it’s the queen’s job to handle social events. And I’m tired of arguing with them.”

“But that’s one of Willin’s duties.” Mendanbar said, puzzled. “He has a whole team to work on social occasions and formal visits.”

“Try telling the Duchess of Astye that.”

Mendanbar frowned, “She must have her own social staff. Shouldn’t she know how it works?”

Cimorene shrugged. “Don’t take this the wrong way. But being a dragon’s princess was a much more fun job than being queen.”

“I can imagine,” Mendanbar said, laughing. “You had a lot more interesting things to do.”

“There are plenty of interesting things I could be doing here,” Cimorene said. “And Kazul was right that I’d set things up so well for her that I was running out of projects. I just wish that people would respect our system for who handles what.”

“At least having the gargoyle answer the magic mirror cuts down on some of it.” Mendanbar mused, to himself as much as to Cimorene. “But I suppose it doesn’t do anything against people who are really determined to be obnoxious.”

He turned to her with a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry being queen is so difficult.”

Cimorene smiled and snuggled against his side. “It’s not _all_ bad,” she teased. “There are definite upsides to being the queen. I _do_ get the best husband out of the deal.”

“And _I_ get the best queen,” Mendanbar said, turning to kiss her. Even after a couple of years of marriage, he was still thrilled to be allowed to kiss Cimorene.

“What are you smiling about?” Cimorene asked him when the kiss had ended.

“How incredible you are. And how lucky I am that you love me back.”

“You’re pretty incredible yourself,” Cimorene said with a grin before leaning in again.

They kissed a second time, pulling away a moment later as Daystar spoke next to Mendanbar. “Daddy?”

Mendanbar and Cimorene both turned to look at their son. “Hi Little Man,” Mendanbar said, ruffling his hair. “What’s up?”

“Dragon.” Daystar flapped his arms up and down like they were wings.

“You want your dragon toy?” Cimorene asked.

Daystar nodded.

Daystar’s favorite toy was a dragon that Morwen and Telemain had given him. It had scales that were the same shape and color as Kazul’s and was enchanted to move on its own if Daystar wanted it to. It could walk, flap its wings, and even breath fake fire.

Cimorene’s fourth-from-eldest sister had once asked Daystar what his dragon’s name was. He pointed to where the horns would be on an adult dragon and replied “No name.”

“Dragons who don’t have horns are too young to have chosen their names yet.” Cimorene had explained, seeing her sister’s bewildered expression.

“Oh I see,” her sister had said in a voice that indicated that she was still puzzled. “What a clever little boy.”

Cimorene and Mendanbar had exchanged a proud glance. Their son was doing an excellent job of learning about both dragons and the forest. He would be a good prince.

“Dragon,” Daystar repeated now, bringing Mendanbar back to the present.

“Well that’s easy enough,” Mendanbar told his son. He reached out to tug on a strand of magic, picturing Daystar’s toy and where he had seen it last. The dragon appeared immediately in his hand. Daystar giggled happily and clapped his hands.

“What do you say to Daddy?” Cimorene reminded Daystar.

“Thank you!”

“You’re very welcome,” Mendanbar said as he handed Daystar the toy.

Daystar took his dragon and plopped down on the grass to play with it.

“You’re going to spoil him you know. Always using your magic to do things for him,” Cimorene said. But she was smiling.

Mendanbar looked at her and laughed. “That’s what the gargoyle says.”

“We’re a lot alike,” Cimorene teased.

“Maybe so,” Mendanbar said, chuckling. “But you’re definitely prettier than the gargoyle.”

Cimorene grinned at him. “I won’t tell it you said that.”

“Tell it anything you like,” Mendanbar said. “I’m right and it knows it.”

“Well, I should hope so.” Cimorene said, kissing Mendanbar on the cheek and wrapping her arms around his waist.

Holding each other, the King and Queen of the Enchanted Forest watched their son play on the grass with his dragon.

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to make the beginning and ending sentences of the fic similar to the beginning and end of Book 2. And to end with them talking about the gargoyle as well. The gargoyle’s pronoun is apparently “it.” Who knew?
> 
> The request I got mentioned Mendanbar’s magic and Cimorene coming into her own as queen so I tried to include at least a little bit of both. I tried to get across that Cimorene has been working on setting up the same systems and delegation that she set up for Kazul. It works well with the residents of the Forest. But people from other kingdoms don’t seem to care.
> 
> When I first learned to walk I decided to go for a very long walk all over the neighborhood including up and down a hill. Mom hardly had to carry me at all. I thought it would be fun if little Daystar was the same.
> 
> They still don’t have very many social occasions, but Willin keeps a full team on staff just in case.
> 
> I am obsessed with the idea of Mendanbar actually getting to help raise Daystar so I jumped at the chance to write some parenting with him.
> 
> I had fun trying to make references to different little bits of the series. And Daystar’s toy dragon, I had a great time imagining what it would be like.
> 
> This is mostly just fluff and I hope my giftee enjoys it.


End file.
